Arts and Culture Panama Project #33330

Preserve the El Cano Archaeological Park & museum

by Fundacion El Cano

Project Report | Sep 9, 2019
Recent El Cano Archaeological Park Project

By Alexa Hancock | Project Leader

Worcester Polytechnic students in El Cano

Fundación El Caño was approached by the non-profit organization Footprint Possibilities, Inc., to coordinate a project with students from Worcester Polytechnic Institute. We articulated a desire to create a manner to allow non-Spanish speakers to do a self-guided tour of the park and museum. Worcester Polytechnic Institute agreed to take on the project and assigned four students to it.

The students have been working since March on creating a minimum of a map indicating points of interest with accompanying text. The ultimate goal is to create an on-line application self-guided tour in English and French,

We are looking forward to being able to provide non-Spanish speaking visitors aa fully interactive and educational experience.

Worcester Polytechnic Institute also agreed to assign four students to conduct a study of the plants in the park. The purpose of the study is to allow Fundación El Caño to determine if and how the ecology of the area has changed over the last millenium.

The students arrived in Panama August 21st and having been working at the park on their projects. On September 7th, a prototype of the self guided tour application was tested in the park by visitors. Once finalized the tour will be availble in English and French.

Self guided tour app prototype being tested

Museum Self guided tour prototype test

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Jun 10, 2019
Reopening of the El Cano Archaeological Museum

By Alexa Hancock | Project Leader

Ribbon cutting ceremony

On April 12, 2019, the newly renovated El Caño Archaeological Museum was inaugurated as a result of funding from the National Secretariat for Science, Technology and Innovation (SENACYT), National Cultural Institute (INAC) and private donations. The Fundación El Caño team curated exhibits containing some of the artifacts recovered from the first six tombs they excavated at the necropolis. For the first two weeks, the exhibits included the original gold artifacts. However, due to security concerns, the gold artifacts had to be replaced by replicas created by Francis Galarza, Nicolás Caro and Panama Bay Jewelers. The remaining, non-gold, original artifacts continue to be on public display.

On May 17, 2019, in collaboration with the Technological University of Panama, INAC, SENACYT, and Fundación El Caño, an educational visual display was added. This consists of a large interactive touch screen which visitors, especially children, can use to experience El Caño in a unique and fun way.

Fundación El Caño has also created an area where visitors can relax and enjoy a beverage or snack and purchase a souvenir of their visit.

Fundación El Caño has partnered with the Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Massachusetts, on two projects. Students have begun working on creating a self-guided tour for non-Spanish speaking visitors to El Caño. A second group of students has begun a plant study to identify the plants currently in the park. The Fundación El Caño team can then compare the plants that are in the park against remnants and seeds found in the tombs to determine how the ecology has changed in the last 100 years.

Work continues to raise funds to continue improvements and repairs in the park. The team has also begun to plan for excavations in the 2020 dry season. Sponsorships and funds for that endeavor are also needed.

Dr. Mercedes Guinea of FEC with members of INAC.

Touring the exhibits

Dr. Julia Mayo speaking during the ceremony.

The interactive educational display.

Links:

Official web page of Fundacion El Cano

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Mar 18, 2019
Progress with the exhibit preparations

By Alexa Hancock | Project Leader

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